On the Plus Side
Page 13

I was about five minutes away from giving up for the day and trying again tomorrow when I noticed her through the window. She walked in and breezed right by me. I was happy she didn’t notice me right away. I pretended to focus on the car magazine I had in my hand as I listened closely to her order.
“Hey, Joey, just the usual,” she said.
“Hey, girl! How’s it going? No mom meeting today?” he laughed.
“That’s not funny, punk,” she giggled. “No, there’s no meeting today. I’m on my lunch break. Go ahead and throw in a turkey sandwich with that.”
She sat at a little table in the corner across the café from me. I watched as she pulled out a little book and started to write something. This was it, this was the perfect time to go and join her. I stood up and grabbed my cappuccino. Slowly, I walked over to her table. She was so involved in what she was writing she didn’t even hear me approach.
“If it isn’t the brown-eyed beauty from the jewelry store,” I said.
She looked up at me and her full lips spread into a tiny smile.
“If it isn’t the guy who knows nothing about his girlfriend,” she said, as she sat her pen down.
“Girlfriend? Who says that locket was for my girlfriend? Maybe it’s for my mom or my sister or…”
“OK, are you seriously gonna play the no girlfriend game with me?” She lifted a cocky brow.
“I’m sorry…I’m not sure I’m familiar with any game like that.”
“I seriously doubt you’re single,” she said.
“And why is that?”
I slipped into the chair next to her and rested my chin against my fist. This was getting pretty interesting. She was going to attempt to psychoanalyze me. Good luck, sweet girl.
“Guys like you are never single.”
“Guys like me?” I laughed “And exactly what kind of guy am I?”
“You want me to be honest or you want me to sugar coat it?”
“I’ve always been a fan of honesty.” I bit my bottom lip and smiled inside when her eyes followed my action. She was thinking of what it would be like to kiss me…good. I wanted her to think things like that.
“You’re that guy—tall, dark, handsome and totally untouchable. You’re mysterious, which drives the girls wild, and all that confidence you have wrapped around yourself is a turn on, too. You’re a challenge and it’s like encoded in human DNA to go after a challenge. I’m willing to bet you have a hundred different walls up to keep people out, which of course makes the girls even crazier. They all want to be the first one to know the real you and I bet you love your car…which is probably some really great classic mustang that you’ve named Bertha or some other horrible old lady name.” She paused.
Finally, she looked me in the eye and I felt her deep gaze inside my boxers. Holy shit! She was turning me on.
“Am I warm?” She asked with a questioning tilt to her head.
I sat there sifting through everything she had said. She was so close to the truth it freaked me out.
“You’re hot,” I gave her a direct gaze as I let the different meanings behind my words sink in. “Have you been watching me, naughty girl?” I attempted to shake the seriousness away.
“Are you saying that I was right?” she smiled.
She was so right it wasn’t even funny anymore.
“No, I’m just curious where all that came from.”
“I just described any man that would have nothing to do with me, so now my question to you is…why are you talking to me?” she lifted one eyebrow as if accusing me of something.
This girl was very strange. Obviously she had self-esteem issues, but at the same time she was the most confident, outspoken woman I’d ever met…other than my sister, Jenny.
Her honest eyes flipped my insides and I felt a tiny bit of panic run up my spine. I was slowly losing control of the conversation, which was completely unacceptable. I internally shook myself and went in for the kill.
“You think I’m handsome?” I flirted.
“Don’t change the subject,” she blushed.
“No, I think it’s you who’s changing the subject. Then it’s settled!” I said as I playfully smacked the table top.
“What’s settled?”
“As long as you’re not seeing anyone and since you obviously think I’m handsome…I’m taking you out.”
“What do you mean out? Like a date, out?”
“Yes, like a date out. What do ya say?” I shrugged.